Sunday Summary and #ROW80 Update

  1. The morning began with considerable WTFery as I discovered that Scribd has DELETED my account and all the documents I had hosted and for sale there.  This all came out at all because I went to check my download stats on Blindsight to update my spreadsheet and discovered that 2 other people who weren’t me had it uploaded.  I went to report that and couldn’t log in.  Try to retrieve my password and was informed that the account associated with that email address had been deleted.  What the hell?  Thankfully I didn’t have THAT much hosted on that account (I have a separate and still active one that hosts all the printable versions of my recipes for Pots and Plots), and I was able to find all my originals and upload them here to the blog so that people could still have access to my Downloads.  I won’t be renewing the account but FFS how can my account be deleted without NOTIFYING ME?
  2. Hubby and I actually went out last night (something we never do) to hear a friend’s band play.  I got a biiiiiig reminder that on some levels I am old.  Actually, on this level, I was old at 18.  I was never into the bar and let’s get deafened by loud music scene.  I could have worn my earplugs and it would actually have been exactly perfect volume to enjoy.  Either way, the music was great, and it was fun to see a lot of our old friends.  Hubs came home jealous and itching to get back into the music scene (as this is one of his old bandmates’ bands).
  3. This morning I’m wondering why on earth I stayed up until TWO AM.  Well I know why.  I hit my second wind, and I was having a deep philosophical discussion with Susan, and then a long talk with hubs about my creative difficulties that led to an epiphany that might possibly unlock my brain for the next Mirus book.  By the time I remembered to take some melatonin to knock me out and it had time to kick in, it was 2.  I haven’t stayed up that late in…a REAAAAAAALLY long time.  I’m SO gonna regret that tomorrow at 6 AM.
  4. On a G.I.T. front, despite the lack of exercise, I am actually down a pound this week (and the weight I thought I’d gained last weekend, was all water), so I’m currently celebrating.  I made some good choices this week.  When I went out for Mexican I actually found a salad on the menu that had no cheese (which was a sad thing as, for me, Mexican is all about the cheese) and I made a deal with myself that I would count out a serving of chips on my napkin and have no more.  And then when I was craving my favorite pizza from the tavern while hubs was out of town, I got all the stuff to make a healthier version of it at home, which was about a third of the calories and a much more reasonable serving size.  Boring to everyone but me, but it was a big personal victory.
  5. Also on the G.I.T. front, I found an app for my iPhone that will help me with HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).  I’ve always wanted to try this but have never actually done it because I cannot do cardio that does not involve me being distracted somehow by music or a book or TV or something.  Which means I’m never watching the timer to see when I’m supposed to speed up or slow down my interval.  Well this app will beep and tell me what I’m supposed to do when.  So I start that today or tomorrow on the exercise bike in hopes that will help me kind of break this slow plateau I’ve had all summer.
  6. On the writing front…I don’t have as much to report as I would like.  I’ve been up to my eyeballs in launch prep and writing posts and interviews for my upcoming blog tour for Red.  I did a little work on plotting one of my Sooper Seekret SNBs.  I did some series planning for my kitchen witch–which was a good start in terms of getting a handle on the various and sundry threads that will go through all 6 books, but is still lacking in this thing called actual PLOT and therefore dramatic tension.  And the rest of the time I spent generally freaking out because my brain doesn’t want to work right now, and it’s been 20 days since I wrote fiction and it’s making me twitchy.  I’ve come to the conclusion that I’m just going to have to get past the blog tour, period, before I start another fiction project.  I’m too emotionally wound up and invested in it to properly focus on…anything else.  So as much as it pains me to get further off my precious schedule, I’m simply not going to TRY until I’m finished writing all my blog tour crap.  Because it’s too freaking stressful.
  7. Stress has been a big problem for me lately.  I actually tried to unplug for a while yesterday and go to the paint your own pottery place to make a new tea mug.  I was really looking forward to settling in with my headphones and audiobook and checking out for a few hours.  Except I got there and they had no mugs to paint.  Apparently the students coming back means they’re all picked over.  So, PYOP FAIL.  I came home and napped instead, never a bad idea.

9 thoughts on “Sunday Summary and #ROW80 Update

  1. Busy, busy. That sucks that they had no mugs! Alternative creative outlets is a great way to relieve stress. Good luck with your blog tour! Maybe you want to try writing a little fiction in there? I can relate to the twitchy, irritable feeling if I go for a long time without writing. The idea may seem stressful, but it might actually help if you go for it. 🙂

  2. My husband does intervals, and he sheds the pounds as easily as he does clothes. Not fair. He’s in great cardio shape because of them, too. And it helps build muscle, which helps burn more fat. He tells me all of these things like it’s going to motivate me to do them; however, I’d have to give up sleeping or writing to fit them in, and that’s so not going to happen!

    It’s not so unusual that you haven’t written fiction in three weeks. I go through a period of mourning after I finish a book, pining for my characters. My longest one was four months, but much of that was real mourning (when a childhood friend of my daughter’s died in an accident). Eventually the words come out when the sense of loss fades. Writing stuff like blog posts is actually a good idea. It’s not investing yourself in new characters, so your emotions aren’t being pulled in different directions. 🙂

    Have a good week, Kait!

  3. Good luck on getting back to the writing again soon! I also get twitchy and irritable when I don’t have a chance to write for a while.

    Have a great week, and I hope you find an effective method to reduce the stress!

  4. Great on the G.I.T., I’ll have to look that up. so glad you didn’t loose your recipies, having them deleted without your approval is just so wrong.

  5. Tabula Rasa, baby. That’s me after a book. I have to reset.I don’t know why. It seems like I’m not doing anything writing-wise, but there’s this below the surface growth going on. And look at you! You are so obviously practicing excellent self-care. Staying away from the Mexican cheese! Healthy pizza! I actually like interval training, though. Keeps things interesting. Plus it gives me back my lovely endorphin rush when I plateau.
    Students! A blessing and a curse. School just started, though. They’ll be off the pottery and on to the beer soon enough!

  6. Kait, you’ve been doing a lot! Don’t feel bad for taking breaks when you need them.

    I’m in the middle of Red, and it is amazing! One of the best pieces of paranormal fiction I’ve read in a long time. I’m hooked, and can’t wait to see how it turns out for Elodie and Sawyer.

    I was feeling burnt out after my release this month, but after three weeks my brain is popping out ideas and connections faster than I can say, “What?!?” I’m sure the same will be happening for you before long. 🙂

  7. It’s like finishing reading a great book -i cant just pick up another immediatly – we need time to move on – but the fact your getting twitichy suggests you almost ready to go – all the best for tour – I’m off on one at the end of Sept. wont get much done then myself

  8. LOL @ “WTFery”. I’m totally stealing that. You has been warned. *shifty eyes*

    I’ll make it up to you by volunteering now to sponsor next round as well. Touching base with folks is now one of my favorite parts of the day. Especially during a day of general WTFery. :o)

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